


Master of the Universe

by inkpenavenger



Series: Honor & Power [3]
Category: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:02:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25881799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkpenavenger/pseuds/inkpenavenger
Summary: It's been a year or so since Adora found her birth family on the distant world of Eterina. When her brother Adam is a no-show for Bow and Glimmer's wedding, Adora starts to get worried. That worry proves justified, as Adam's nemesis Skeletor launches an attack on both their worlds in his ultimate plan to conquer the universe...=======Sequel toSecrets of the Sword
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra), George/Lance (She-Ra), Kyle/Lonnie/Rogelio (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Series: Honor & Power [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1867315
Comments: 27
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

The big day was here at long last. Brightmoon was abuzz with activity. Guests from all over Etheria and even a few other planets crowded the castle grounds. Queen Glimmer looked out from the balcony of her room at the excited crowd below. The peculiar mix of excitement and nervousness thrummed within her. She ran her fingers through her new, even shorter haircut. She was so lost in her own head that she didn’t hear the door open, and started when a hand touched her shoulder.

“Sorry!” said Catra. “You didn’t answer when I called, so…”

“Yeah sorry,” Glimmer sighed. “I was just distracted.”

“Obviously,” Catra replied with a smirk. “It’s almost time. Excited?”

Catra was wearing the formal outfit Adora had commissioned for her from the Brightmoon tailors. Adora wasn’t normally big on anything fashion related, but she’d been unusually specific in her instructions. Catra wore dark brown pants with a red jacket not dissimilar to the one Adora often wore. A white half cape with gold trim was draped over one shoulder, and, most notable, a pair of simple leather boots. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail.

“Yeah,” Glimmer said, looking at her hands. “And nervous.”

“Nervous?” Catra said, taking a seat on the windowsill. “Why nervous? You’re just marrying your best friend today.”

“I… I don’t know. I mean, I know things won’t really  _ change _ between me and Bow,” said Glimmer. “We’ll be the same people in the same relationship tomorrow that we were yesterday. It’s just… it is a big deal though, isn’t it? Getting married?”

“I guess so…” Catra said, looking out over the castle grounds.

A silent moment passed.

“So,” Glimmer said, nudging her friend, “you and Adora gonna be next?” 

“What?” Catra said with a start. “I mean… all this,” she gestured at the crowd below, “seems a little much, but…”

“But?”

“But… I mean, yeah. I guess. Eventually."

"You and Adora don't have to have something this big," Glimmer said. " _ I _ wouldn't want something this big of it weren't for, y'know, being the queen and all. And Bow's dads." They both chuckled at that. There was a knock at the door.

“Yes?” said Glimmer.

The door opened, and in stepped King Micah, wearing a set of fine purple robes.

“Am I interrupting?” he asked.

“No,” Catra said, sliding off the windowsill. “I was just checking in on her too. I’m gonna go find Adora and make sure Bow isn’t panicking either.” She laughed as she made her way out the door, which she closed behind her.

“You look  _ beautiful _ , babygirl,” Micah said, once they were alone.

“ _ Dad _ ,” Glimmer chided. “I’m not even in my wedding dress yet.”

“And?” he walked over and enveloped his daughter in a warm hug. When they parted, Glimmer saw tears in his eyes.

“You ok, Dad?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Micah said, wiping the tears away. “Just… remembering how your mother looked on our wedding day.”

Glimmer hugged her father again.

“I’m missing her a lot today, too,” she said.

“She’d be so proud of you,” Micah said.

“I know,” Glimmer replied with a smile.

“All right,” said Micah, at last releasing Glimmer from the hug. “I’m going to go make sure Casta’s not pulling her hair out over last-minute preparations. See you soon.”

“Love you, Dad,” Glimmer said.

“Love you too, babygirl.”

=======

Bow paced the room anxiously in a white and gold suit with pink and purple trim, and of course, a bare midriff.. Adora was at a loss to figure out anything to say to alleviate his nerves. There was a knock at the door, and Catra peeked in.

“How’s it going?” she said with a laugh. “Arrow-Boy’s not gonna make a break for it, is he? You confiscated his arrows, right?”

Adora in her plain but elegant and flowing white dress, gave Catra a strained smile, and nodded toward the pacing Bow. Catra sighed and approached him. She put her hands on his shoulders and made him stop pacing.

“Bow!” she said. “ _ What _ are you so nervous for? You are marrying the love of your life today, so get it together.”

“It’s not that,” Bow said. “Marrying Glimmer? It’s a dream come true, what worries me is…”

“Is what?”

“...How am I gonna be king? I’m just some library school dropout with a bunch of silly trick arrows! I can’t be a king! What if I screw it up? What if the people reject me and start a revolution? What if I accidentally ruin everything? ‘There goes King Bow, destroyer of Etheria!’ I can’t do this!”

“Bow, breathe," Catra said sternly. She held his gaze as she continued. "First of all, you and Glimmer have been making decisions together forever; literally nothing is changing. Second,” Catra smirked, “I’m your Royal Advisor, so it’s literally  _ my job _ to make sure you two  _ don’t _ mess everything up. And today, that includes your wedding.”

Bow closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. The tension seemed to gradually leave his shoulders.

“Thanks, Catra,” he said at last. 

“Alright,” Catra said. “Now you finish getting ready, I’m going to take Adora; there’s more things I need to check on.”

“Ok,” Bow said. “I’ll see you guys in a bit.”

Catra took Adora’s hand and led her out of the room.

“Ok,” Adora said. “I guess we’re going.”

Catra led her briskly down a few corridors.

“Catra,” Adora asked, “where exactly are we going?”

Suddenly, Catra stopped, pulled Adora close, and kissed her. 

“Wow, what was that for?” Adora said.

“Do I need a reason?” Catra smirked.

“I guess not,” Adora replied, giving her another quick kiss. “You look amazing, by the way.”

“Well I hope you’d think so,” Catra said. “I mean, you picked the outfit.”

Adora smiled. 

“You look beautiful, too,” Catra said with a slight blush.

“Thank you,” Adora said. Another kiss.

“Have Adam and the others shown up yet?” Catra asked.

“No,” Adora said with a slight frown. “And if they don’t get here soon, they’re going to be late. I wonder if I have time to run to the portal beacon and give him a call…”

“You do if you can beat me there!” Catra said, suddenly taking off down the hall. 

“Hey! No fair! I’m in a dress!” Adora cried, hiking up the hem and rushing after Catra.

“And I’m wearing shoes!” Catra called back. “Even.”

They were both giggling uncontrollably by the time they reached the beacon chamber. The guard stationed at the door rolled their eyes as the two of them caught their breath and entered the room. Adora approached the softly humming device and punched in the commands to contact the beacon on Eternia. The system buzzed several times as the call waited to be answered, but no one picked up.

“Why is no one answering?” Adroa said, frustrated.

“Maybe something came up,” said Catra. “Like an emergency or something. Adam wouldn’t miss the wedding if it wasn’t something important.”

“Then maybe we should-”

“No!” Catra interrupted. “One, if Adam’s in trouble serious enough that he needs us, he’d have called, even today. Two, there is no way  _ you _ are missing our best friends’ wedding too.”

“Look at you, being the reasonable one today,” Adora mocked.

“Somebody has to be,” Catra said. “You can be the reasonable one if  _ I  _ freak out on  _ our _ wedding day, ok?”

“‘Our wedding day?’” Adora repeated with a cocked eyebrow. 

“Ah… I mean, y’know,” Catra stammered. “Whenever… that is…”

Adora smiled and took Catra’s hand.

“C’mon,” she said. “Now  _ we’re _ going to be late.”

=======

The throne room was utterly packed with people. A flowering vine archway stood in front of the thrones, courtesy of Perfuma, and Frosta had conjured drifting snowflakes above the crowd that made the whole room sparkle. Adora and Catra stood to either side of the archway, awaiting the beginning of the ceremony. Spinnerella was at the center, having been asked to officiate. Adora’s eyes scanned the crowd seeing so many familiar faces. There was Mermista, failing to look nonplussed by the over-the-top romantic atmosphere, with Sea Hawk practically twinkling beside her. Scorpia was already crying, Perfuma holding her pincer. Frosta was peeking out into the central aisle, unable to see over everyone else standing. Adora saw Micah and Castaspella; Entrapta, Wrong Hordak, and Hordak were in the back; Bow's dads, Lance and George stood with their twelve other sons; even Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio were there. There was Swift Wind, and Netossa, and Huntara. A trace of frustration tinged with worry tugged at Adora’s mind as she saw that Adam and Teela were still nowhere to be seen.

Music began to play, drawing Adora's attention back to the moment at hand. Murmuring in the room fell silent as the music continued. With a flash of pink light, Glimmer teleported into the throne room in front of the flower arch. Her wedding gown was predominantly purple with gold trim. A gossamer white cape trailed behind her, stitched with a lace-like feather pattern to resemble her mother's wings. 

At the other end of the room, the great gold double doors swung slowly open, and Bow walked through them, looking resplendent in his suit with the usual bright red heart-shape emblazoned on the chest. Glimmer beamed as he walked toward her. Bow's dads could be heard sobbing over the music. Bow reached the front of the room and took Glimmer’s hands in his own. Adora noticed Catra staring at her from across the way, the latter blushing slightly and turning her attention back to the ceremony about to begin. Adora smiled and did likewise.

The music and whispers of the crowd of guests faded, and Spinnerella said, “Let’s begin…”

=======

Later, at the reception, the mood was utterly jubilant. The grounds outside the castle proper swarmed with people. The music was loud, the food was plenty, and the dancing was energetic. Adora and Catra had just sat down for a break from dancing, catching their breath and getting a drink, when Wrong Hordak (his hair gold and his eyes and teeth bright pink) pulled Hordak awkwardly onto the dance floor to the laughter of many and the delighted squeal of Entrapta. Adora scanned the crowd again, still finding no sign of her brother.

“He  _ still  _ isn’t here?” Catra said. “Now  _ I’m _ getting worried.” She sighed. “Look, let’s find Bow and Glimmer and let them know we have to go. We’ll get changed and hop a portal to Eternia. I swear, if he just  _ forgot _ , I’m gonna kill him.”

Adora and Catra stood from their table and moved through the crowd hand in hand. After pushing past dozens of people, Adora finally caught sight of the newlyweds.

“Adora! Catra!” Glimmer cried as they approached. “This is so amazing! I’ve _ never _ seen the grounds so crowded. Aunt Casta really outdid herself, didn’t she?”

“It’s great,” Adora said. “We’ve been having a great time. But listen, Adam still hasn’t shown up…”

“What!?” Bow said.

“I’m sure something came up, but I’ve tried calling him on the beacon several times and no one is answering, so… I’m just getting worried. Catra and I are going to pop over to Eternia just to make sure everything’s ok.”

“Do you want us to come with you?” Glimmer asked.

“No! No, you guys just enjoy the party,” Adora insisted. “I’m sure everything’s fine. We’ll probably be back before you know it.”

“The big dope probably just forgot the date,” Catra added.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang, a flash of light, and a rush of wind. The four of them looked toward the commotion. People were scattering away from the dance floor as there was- a portal! A bright swirl of energy wreathed the opening across space. Then a dozen or so figures in shiny black armor poured through the gateway which slammed shut behind them.

“What the-” Catra cried.

Another flash, another bang, another dozen figures marched into sight, firing blasters above the crowd which began to scream and scatter. Hordak grabbed one and slammed it to the ground as it aimed a blaster at Entrapta. He ripped the arm off and stomped on the head, sparks and smoke pouring out.

“These are Prime’s designs,” Hordak said, attacking and demolishing another bot. “How? Where are they coming from?”

Indeed, the figures swarming onto the Brightmoon grounds through portal after portal did resemble the ones employed by the Galactic Horde, albeit with a glossy black paint job and red lighting instead of green. 

“We have to hold them off,” Adora called. “Get everyone to safety!”

Catra was already kicking off her boots. Glimmer vanished, then reappeared a second later holding Bow’s bow and quiver. Adora summoned her sword.

“For the Honor of Grayskull!”

The grounds were in chaos. Civilians screaming and trying to flee. Dozens of portals opening and disgorging squads of black-armored bots. The castle guards and princesses fighting off the bots to cover the civilians’ escape. Glimmer teleported all around, blasting bots and teleporting guests far away to safety.

Catra leaped onto a bot and ripped into it with her claws. She sprang from that one as it fell toward another, colliding with its chest and knocking it prone. As she tore that one apart too, she noticed an embossed mark on the chestplate. The mark was the same color as the rest of the armor, so it didn’t stand out at a distance. It was a skull with a familiar pattern of lines and shapes engraved in it. Adora had tried to teach Catra how to read First Ones writing over the last year or so, and she knew enough to recognize what this said.

“No,” she breathed. Then shouting, “Adora! The mark! On the bots’ chests!”

Adora, who’d just blasted a group of bots emerging from yet another portal, grabbed another bot by the head. She crushed its head in her fist, cut it in half at the waist with her sword, then held up the chestpiece for a closer look. She saw the skull and the writing that said-

“Skeletor,” Adora said. “Adam!”

Bow disabled another bot with a shock arrow, then happened to glance up. His heart sank at the sight.

“Uh...Adora!” he called pointing up.

Adora looked into the night sky. There weren’t just portals on the ground. They were also opening in the air, starfighters rocketing through them, dark silhouettes against the multiple moons. Adora called out for Swift Wind, leaping onto his back and soaring into the sky to try and stem the flow.

“How is this happening?” Bow said, fighting back to back with Catra. 

=======

“Administrator access granted.”

A secret chamber at the heart of Grayskull opened. Two dozen soldiers streamed in to line sides of the room. Skeletor, clad in black armor and purple robes, strode briskly across the long walkway, punctuating every few steps with a resonating strike of his staff on the crystalline floor. Behind him followed his second-in-command, the green-skinned sorceress Evil-lyn. At last, Skeletor arrived at the far end of the chamber, standing before a great crystal throne. Beside the throne was a pedestal, a dock for a singular device he still required. Behind the throne, the great sealed iris that formed the crux of this, his ultimate design.

“Report, Evil-lyn,” he barked. “Speak!”

“The city is surrounded, the castle sealed off,” Evil-lyn began. “And the attack on Etheria commences as we speak.”

“And He-Man?”

“He continues to fight with the Royal Guard that resists us. I assure you, we will have him before moonrise.”

“I want him kneeling at my feet.”

“After all this time,” Evil-lyn mused. “Grayskull is ours.”

“No!” Skeletor shouted. He turned and sat down on the throne grasping his staff in one hand and the locksmith’s device, the one that had made all this possible at long last, in his other. “Mine.”


	2. Chapter 2

Adam was running late. He’d  _ completely _ forgotten that today was the big day until Teela showed up at his door in formal attire. She wore a sleeveless white top with flowing pants, her hair in elaborate braids.

“Why are you dressed like that?” he’d yawned, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

“Are you serious?” Teela had said.

“What?”

“Bow and Glimmer’s wedding!” she’d cried. “You were supposed to meet me in the portal room ten minutes ago!”

Adam had let out a shocked cry that woke up Cringer and sent him sprinting around the room in a panic. By the time they stopped him and got him calmed down, Adam’s room looked like there’d been a tornado. Then Adam spent a frantic twenty minutes getting cleaned up and dressed. He was hopping down the hall on one foot, trying to lace up his other boot on the way to the portal beacon chamber.

“I can’t  _ believe _ you forgot,” Teela said. 

“I said I’m sorry,” Adam protested. “And I didn’t exactly  _ forget _ , I just overslept!”

“Just hurry up. We might still make it in time for the ceremony if we leave-”

She was cut off by a distant boom that reverberated in the castle floor.

“What was that?” said Adam.

“It almost sounded like…”

Another distant thud, this one stronger. Just then, the guards who watched over the beacon chamber rushe toward them from around the corner.

“Captain Teela, Your Highness,” one of them shouted. “The city is under attack!”

“Skeletor?” Adam asked. “Of course he’d pick  _ today _ of all days.”

“Your highness,” the guard said. “We must get you to safety. Report is, Skeletor’s forces are already inside the city!”

“Inside?” Teela demanded. “How?”

“I don’t know, Captain,” the guard replied. “There was no word of anything approaching. It’s like they just appeared out of thin air inside the walls.”

“I’ll get the prince to safety,” Teela said. “You two go help defend the castle.”

The guards nodded and raced off.

“The sword is back in my room,” Adam whispered once they were gone. “I didn’t plan on needing it today.”

“Then let’s hurry,” Teela replied, and they dashed off back toward Adam’s room.

They were halted by a flash of light and a bang of displaced air. A swirling ring of light filled the corridor, a powerful wind blowing out of it.

“What is that?” Adam cried over the din.

Just as suddenly, the light disappeared with a crack… and half a dozen figures in shiny black armor stood in the corridor before them. It looked like the armor Skeletor’s soldiers wore, but the body shape was wrong. A person couldn’t fit inside that- And they were firing! 

Teela grabbed Adam’s arms and pulled him behind her, throwing up a shield spell just in time. After deflecting a barrage of blaster bolts, Teela flung the shield forward, knocking the attackers off balance, then followed up with an offensive spell blast. The armored figures were thrown backward and smashed into the wall, sparks spewing from their joints as they came apart.

“Machines,” Adam said. “They’re bots!”

“Where did Skeletor get a bunch of bots?” Teela wondered. “And more importantly, how did he open a portal into the castle?”

Another distant explosion shook the stone floor beneath their feet.

“Questions for later,” Adam said. “Right now, sword.”

Again, the two raced off toward Adam’s room. It was still a mess from before, and Cringer was cowering under the bed (despite there not actually being enough room under there for him), but Adam was easily able to retrieve the sword from its hiding place behind his headboard. 

“No…” Teela breathed. She was standing at the windowed doors to the balcony off Adam’s room, staring outside. Adam moved beside her and looked out as well. His jaw fell open. 

The city was in flames. Thick columns of smoke rose in every direction. In the streets below, people ran in panic from blocks of shiny black bots as they marched through the city. There were so many. Where did Skeletor get a force this large? And they were opening portals directly into the city  _ and  _ into the castle- Then it dawned on him.

“Mom!” Adam suddenly shouted. “Dad!”

“What-” Teela began.

“He’s opening portals  _ into the castle _ .”

“Oh no!”

Adam held up his sword.

“By the Power of Grayskull!”

Magical energy crackled from the crystalline blade as Adam transformed into He-Man. He raced back out into the hallway, Teela sprinting along after him. They encountered a few groups of bots along the way, but quickly dispatched them. Soon, they turned the corner into the passage outside the throne room… and Adam's heart sank. More than a dozen green-armored Royal Guards lay unconscious up and down the hall. Among those fallen was one with a yellow sash…

"Dad!" Teela cried. She rushed to Duncan's side as Adam ran past them and into the throne room.

Adam had just a moment to take the sight in. His parents in shackles, surrounded by bots. A portal opening, and his father shoved through. His mother looked back toward the door, fear in her eyes.

“Mom!” Adam cried, sprinting toward her as fast as he could.

The queen’s eyes locked with his and went wide for a moment before she, too, was pushed through the portal. The bots followed, and a moment later, the doorway was gone.

“No!” cried Adam, reaching the spot where the portal had been, barely a second too late. He turned back to Teela, who was helping Duncan back to his feet. “Duncan,” Adam said, “what happened?”

“I...I’m not sure,” he said groggily, rubbing his head. “There was a flash of light, and then those bots were just everywhere. There were so many…”

“Skeletor must have taken them to Snake Mountain,” Adam said. We have to go. Now.”

“Right,” Duncan said. He tried to step away from Teela, but was unsteady on his feet, catching himself on the wall.

“Dad, just slow down,” Teela said. “You’re in no shape to go running off to Snake Mountain right this second.”

“I’m the sworn Man-at-Arms of the Royal Guard. It’s my duty to protect the Royal Family,” Duncan grumbled.

“We need a plan,” Teela said. She looked at Adam. “And Adora.”

“Right,” Adam said. “First stop, the portal beacon.”

As they made their way through the castle toward the portal chamber, another explosion rocked the building. When they caught their balance and the dust began to clear, they saw that the corridor ahead had collapsed. Adam punched the wall, growling in frustration, his fist driving effortlessly into the stone.

"Come on," Duncan said. "We can cut around the exterior and get to the beacon from there."

Quickly, the three found their way outside the castle and began making their way around to another entrance. Adam's thoughts raced as he tried to tune out the sounds of battle, screams, and destruction from the city below. They'd nearly reached the castle's front entrance when the sky above went dark. Black clouds had appeared suddenly, and they shifted and formed the image of a massive skull, filling the evening sky. Skeletor's voice, thundering across the kingdom, the sound and image enormous enough to be seen and heard across the land.

"People of Eternia," the voice boomed. "The war is over! My forces are victorious. Greyskull is mine, and your king and queen are my prisoners there."

Adam's blood ran cold.

"Let this be my first decree," the voice continued. "Those who do not pledge themselves to me shall be destroyed. The new age begins."

The clouds lost their distinct shapes and slowly dissipated. Adam transformed back into himself as he fell to his knees, the Sword of Power clattering to the ground beside him. Teela was saying something, but Adam couldn't hear. His heart was in his stomach, his head swimming, his ears ringing.

Skeletor had his parents.

Skeletor had Grayskull.

Adam had failed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long gap between chapters. Life get in the way and sometimes you lose the writing bug that powered you through 18k words of your lasr story for a while. Lol
> 
> Thanks for waiting, and thanks for reading. Hoping to get back to this more regularly in the future.


	3. Chapter 3

Swift Wind weaved between the starfighters streaming out of portals into Etheria’s night sky. On his back, She-Ra swung her sword side to side, cleaving through the hulls of the ships with ease, sending them hurtling to the ground in smoking pieces. Yet there were still more! It seemed like for every one She-Ra destroyed, two more appeared. 

“This isn’t working,” Swift Wind said to her. “There’s too many of them!”

“We have to take out as many as we can,” Adora replied, shearing the nose off a ship as they passed by. She raised the sword straight up over her head as they flew under another ship which exploded in midair as it came apart.

Another portal opened directly in front of them, and Swift Wind barely managed to roll to the side in time to avoid colliding with it. Then a barrage of laser cannon blasts barely missed them. 

“Maybe you’re right, Swifty” Adora said. “Let’s get back to the others and make a plan.”

“Good idea,” he replied and dove back down toward the ground. 

In the castle courtyard below, Adora could see a cluster of her friends, back to back, fighting off a surrounding horde of Skeletor’s bots. Scorpia blasted bots with volleys of her red lightning as Perfuma crushed and tore apart bots with her vines. Bow fired arrow after arrow into the oncoming enemies while Glimmer blasted them with magical attacks. Frosta kept calling up ice barricades to provide cover while Micah and Castaspella conjured magical shields to block incoming laser fire. Catra and Hordak made quick work of any bots that made it through the onslaught with their bare hands.

“Everybody down!” Adora cried as she leaped down from Swift Wind’s back.

She landed in the center of the group just as they all ducked low to the ground. Adora glowed brightly, then swung her sword horizontally in a full circle, letting out a battle cry as well as a powerful blast of magic in all directions. Most of the bots in the courtyard were reduced to smoking scrap. A moment later, s Swifty landed beside the group.

“Maybe lead with that move next time, princess,” Catra said with a smirk.

“Is everyone ok?” Adora asked.

“We’re good,” Glimmer said. “All the guests got out.”

“We need a plan,” Bow said. He looked around as more portals opened around them.

“Well, we can’t just keep fighting these bots head on,” Catra said. “We need to stop them at the source. We need to get to Eternia and stop Skeletor from sending more.”

“Ok,” Glimmer said. “You and Adora get to the portal beacon and go. We’ll stay here and protect Etheria.”

“Hordak,” Bow said. “Do you think you and Entrapta could come up with a killswitch for these bots? Something to take them out in large numbers?”

Hordak surveyed the destroyed bots all around them. He found one that was mostly intact and picked it up. “Yes,” he said.

“Alright,” Glimmer said. “Then let’s get Entrapta, and I’ll teleport you both to your lab in Dryll.”

“I’ll go with them too,” Scorpia chimed in. “I’ll watch your back while you work.”

“Are you sure we should, y’know, split up like this?” Adora said. She didn't like the idea of leaving Etheria with it under attack.

"Isn't it obvious?" Catra said. "Skeletor's making a  _ big _ move. Maybe even going after Greyskull. He's attacking Etheria to keep  _ you _ occupied. To try and stop you from backing Adam up."

"We'll be ok, Adora," Bow said. "If you can help Adam stop Skeletor, it'll end the attack at its source."

"And besides," Glimmer added, "it's not like this is the first alien invasion we've fought off."

"Heck of a wedding day…" Bow said.

"But somehow, it's  _ so  _ us," Glimmer replied with a wink. "Good luck!"

With that, Glimmer grabbed ahold of Scorpia and Hordak and teleported away.

Adora and Catra each gave Bow a hug in turn.

"Be safe," Adora said. She and Catra started toward the castle.

"And, uh, congratulations?" Catra called back over her shoulder.

=======

As much as they both hated any delay, Catra and Adora also didn’t think it wise to go off to fight a battle on Eternia in formal attire. So after a quick detour to their room to change, they raced to the portal beacon chamber and punched in the coordinates for Eternia. A shimmering doorway appeared, and they stepped through.

The first thing they noticed was the distant sounds of laser fire and explosions. Even this deep inside the castle, Catra could smell smoke. The portal closed behind them as they stepped out into the hallway. Almost immediately, they spotted three figures rounding the corner. It was Teela. Her father had an arm around her shoulder and was leaning on her, clearly injured. Behind them, shoulders slumped and head hanging, was Adam.

“Adam!” Adora cried as she raced toward him.

“Adora?” he looked up, embracing her as she approached.

“We were just on our way to come call you,” Teela said. “Skeletor, he-”

“We know,” Catra interrupted. “He’s attacking Etheria too.”

“What?” Duncan exclaimed. “How?”

“Somehow he’s opening portals just wherever he wants,” Adora said. “Hundreds of bots just showed up out of nowhere.” 

“Adora,” Adam said, his voice strained. “He has mom and dad. And he has Greyskull.”

Adora’s eyes went wide, and a lump rose in her throat.

“Then we go after them,” Catra said, stepping up and putting a hand on Adora’s shoulder. “First priority. We get them out, then we deal with Skeletor.”

“I need to find more guards,” Duncan said. “Coordinate evacuation and resistance.”

“Dad, you’re in no condition to fight,” Teel said.

“Hold on,” Adora said. She stepped over to Duncan and placed a hand on his chest. She closed her eyes, then began to glow with golden light. The light poured into Duncan, and he inhaled sharply. 

The light subsided, and Duncan was able to take his weight off Teela.

“Thanks,” he said. “You four go after the king and queen. I’ll coordinate the defenses here.”

“Be careful, dad,” Teela said. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Teela,” Duncan replied. He kissed the top of his daughter’s head and set off into the castle.

“Come on,” Adam said. “We’re probably better off sneaking out of the city on foot. Those ships flying around would spot us easily if we try to take a skiff.”

=======

A tense hour later, the four of them had nearly made it to the outer wall of the city. Rather than trying to slip through a gate, Catra had suggested they make their way to a section of wall that had been destroyed in the attack and sneak through there. Along the way, they’d managed to slip past several patrols of bots. Adam had thus far been relieved to see no sign of any civilians hurt or captured. Hopefully, everyone had managed to flee to safety. 

Catra was peeking out from an alley, watching a squad of bots rounding a corner, ready to signal the group to dart across the last street toward the hole in the wall, when Adam heard a distant voice.

“No!,” it cried. “Oh no, unhand me! Help! He-Man! Help!”

Adam looked at the others.

"We can't," Teela said. "If those bots spot us, we'll get overrun and we'll never make it to Grayskull."

Adora saw the pleading look in her brother's eyes. She understood how he must feel, because she'd felt the same way so many times. She looked to Catra.

"There has to be  _ something _ we can do," she said. "We can't just leave them…"

Catra considered a moment. 

"Ok," she said. "Let's get closer and see if we can help. If there's not too many bots, we can surprise them and rescue whoever that is calling for help."

Adora smiled. Adam looked relieved.

"But  _ don't _ transform," Catra added. "If they don't see He-Man or She-Ra, maybe they won't call for backup right away."

Everyone nodded. They rushed toward the sound of the pleading voice, keeping low and trying to move as quietly and possible. They reached an intersection in the roads and peered around the corner. There in the street were two bots, struggling with what appeared to be a small being trapped in a metallic net. The struggling figure squirmed so violently that the bots seemed to be having difficulty lifting them into a balanced position to be carried. The cries for help were coming from the net.

"Ok, there's only two of them," Catra whispered. "We hit them fast and save whoever's in that net. No swords; no muscles, got it?"

Everyone nodded. Catra gave the word, and the four charged into the street. Catra was fastest, bounding forward on all fours, and leaped onto the shoulders of one of the bots. Her claws made short work of separating its head from its body. Teela cast a spell ensnaring the legs of the other bot and pulling them out from under it. Adora rushed in and stomped hard on its head, shattering it into countless tiny pieces. Adam had already reached the dropped net and opened it, releasing its captive.

He was approximately half their height with long pointed ears and a pointed nose. His hair was wild and bright orange, sticking out in all directions on top of his head and down the sides of his face. He wore simple dark green clothes and had a bulky metallic device slung on his back with a leather strap.

"Oh!" the diminutive being squeaked. "A thousand blessings on you for saving me!" 

"Who are you?" Adora asked.

"I am Gwildor of Thenor," he said. "Locksmith and engineer extraordinaire. Have… you heard of me?"

"Can't that I have, I'm afraid," Adam said. "I have heard of Thenor, though."

Gwildor seemed to actually look up and focus on Adam for the first time.

"Well of course you have," he said brightly. "It's an honor to meet you, Prince Adam."

"We need to move," Adora said. "More bots could show up any minute. We need to be out of the city before they do."

"I can't leave already," Gwildor protested. "I just arrived, and I have  _ vital _ information for He-Man about Skeletor's attack. Your highness, surely you know how I can find He-Man.”

“Actually, you’re in luck,” Adam began.

“Adam!” Teela interrupted.

“Teela, none of that matters now,” Adam replied. He turned back to Gwildor. “I’m He-Man.”

“Oh!” Gwildor cried. “Well of course you are! Who else  _ would _ the fates entrust the protection of Eternia to than its prince.”

“We have to go,” Catra said insistently. 

“Yes, yes,” Gwildor said. “Now that I’ve found you, let’s find a safe place to hide so I can explain.”

Together, Adora, Adam, Teela, Catra, and Gwildor made their way back to and through the collapsed section of the city wall and slipped out.

=======

They’d found a small cave in a shallow ravine a couple miles outside the city. It gave them good cover from the air and the ground; bots or soldiers would be unlikely to notice the entrance unless they walked directly by it.

“Alright,” said Teela. “So why was it so important that you find He-Man?”

“Because of this,” Gwildor said. He removed the device from his back and set it on the cave floor between everyone. 

It was roughly cylindrical, eighteen inches in length with about a six inch diameter. Most of the black surface was covered in hundreds of tiny brass buttons, with one larger red button near the base. The top section tapered in slightly and was crowned with a dozen or so slender forked rods that were silver in color. 

“I call it the Cosmic Key,” Gwilder began. “It’s the most unique key in the universe, able to unlock a door to virtually anywhere.”

“The portals,” Adora breathed.

“ _ You _ created the device Skeletor is using to attack our worlds?” Catra demanded.

“Well, yes, but I didn’t  _ mean  _ to,” Gwildor said. “He kidnapped me! Held me prisoner for an entire year. Forced me to study and refine a portal-making device he already had.”

“A beacon,” Adam said. “Adora, a portal beacon!”

“He must have stolen one from your ship when he took it last year,” Teela added.

“Wait,” Adora said. “Where did you get this Key, then? Portals were still opening in the city when we left.”

“I finished the first Key months ago,” Gwildor said. “But instead of releasing me, they  _ still _ kept me locked up at Snake Mountain in case it malfunctioned or needed repairing. I knew whatever Skeletor had planned with that Key would be terrible beyond imagination. So I secretly built a second Key and used it to escape this morning.”

“How does it work?” Catra asked. “Entrapta and Hordak’s portal beacons need to connect with another beacon to open a doorway. How do these Keys open a portal just anywhere?”

“It’s all down to the tones,” Gwildor said, his eyes suddenly twinkling with excitement. “Everything in the universe is connected, so if you create the right resonances you can bring two parts of space into sync and open a doorway between them. It's all very complicated, what with the algorithms and failsafes to prevent accidentally opening a door into empty space or the middle of a sun."

"Can this Key open a portal into Grayskull?" Adam asked. 

"Of course," Gwildor replied. "Those were the first coordinates Skeletor made me calculate." 

"So let's go," Adam said. "We use the key to get to and inside of Grayskull without being spotted."

"Oh, but we can't!" Gwildor exclaimed.

"Why not?" asked Teela.

"Both Keys are attuned to vibrational patterns of the fabric of space," he explained. "If one Key is activated, it resonates with the other. Skeletor would know I activated it."

"Gwildor, we don't have a choice," Adora said. "The king and queen - our parents - are being held prisoner there by Skeletor."

"And Grayskull contains the most dangerous information in the universe," Catra added. "We have to stop Skeletor before he finishes whatever he has planned."

"We have to risk it," Adam said. "Gwildor, will you help us."

Gwildor looked nervously between the faces of his four companions. He swallowed hard and nodded.

"I will."

He picked up the Cosmic Key and pressed a few buttons. Musical electronic noises emanated from the device. Finally, he pressed the large red button. A thrumming, melodious, harmonic, sound filled the small cave. The crown of forked spikes on the Key expanded and began to spin slowly. A few feet in front of Gwildor, right about where the entrance to the cave was, a shimmering portal flickered into being.

"Quickly," Gwildor cried over the noise. "Go through now!"

Without another word, all five of them stepped through the doorway.


	4. Chapter 4

The portal slammed shut behind them, leaving Adam, Adora, Teela, Catra, and Gwildor in the darkened entry hall of Castle Grayskull. Besides the low hum of distant ancient machinery, the room was eerily silent.

“Ok, this is way too quiet,” Catra muttered. “I expected to pop out in the middle of an army.”

“Sorceress,” Adam whispered. “Sorceress!”

There was no response, and the lights remained dim. Catra’s eyes adjusted to the gloom the quickest, and she noticed something different from when Adora and Adam had brought her here before.

“Hey,” Catra said, “wasn’t there a wall over there before?”

After a few moments, when his eyes had adjusted, Adam saw what she was talking about. The far wall opposite the entrance to the castle had been adorned with a complex engraving depicting He-Man and the Sword of Power. Now that wall was absent, instead revealing a doorway and a flight of stairs leading up.

“A secret door?” Adora wondered aloud.

“I never even knew there  _ was _ a door there,” Adam replied. 

“Let’s go,” Teela said. “Quietly.”

Cautiously, the five of them made their way through the door and up the stairs. Adam and Adora had their swords at the ready. Teela had a hand up, ready to cast a spell at a moment’s notice. Catra had her claws out and strained her ears into the dark for any sign of approaching danger.

Another massive door stood open at the top of the stairs leading into what had to be the largest chamber within the castle any of them had ever seen. The room was hexagonal, easily three hundred feet across. The walls were lined with fifteen foot tall statues of robed figures, their faces obscured by hoods. Above the statues, the faintly glowing crystalline walls sloped inward. It was hard to judge the angle and therefore how high the ceiling ultimately was, but at the room’s apex was some kind of large metallic iris, currently closed. A walkway stretching out before them led to a central platform about fifty feet wide, at the center of which was a large crystal throne.

The chamber resembled Horde Prime’s throne room aboard his flagship enough that it made Adora shivver. She looked to Catra to make sure she was ok. Catra’s hand was absently rubbing the nape of her neck, but she caught Adora’s gaze and nodded. 

“Mom? Dad!” Adam suddenly cried. Beside the throne on the central platform, he’d spotted two figures standing within a shimmering column of dim light. 

The five of them raced across the walkway and to the prisoners.

“Adam,” King Randor said. “Adora! What are you doing here?” He and Marleena pressed their hands against the inside of the energy field containing them.

“Rescuing you, of course,” Adam replied. “Teela, can you bring this field down?”

Teela held out a hand toward the field and concentrated.

“It’s not magic,” she said. “Even if it was, I don’t think I’d be able to dispel something Skeletor put up.”

“So it’s tech,” Adora said. “Must be part of the castle’s defenses.”

“Sorceress!” Adam called again. Still, the hologram did not appear. “Why won’t she answer?”

“Gwildor,” Adora said. “Could that Key open a portal inside of this force field?”

“Of course,” Gwildor replied. “But it will take time to calculate the tones.”

“Then get started,” she said. “We’re going to get you out of here.”

“Adora, Adam,” Marleena said. “Listen to me. You can’t be here. If Skeletor captures you, too-”

“I’m not leaving without you,” Adam said. 

Catra moved over near the throne, keeping watch on the entrance and listening for anyone approaching. She noticed a pedestal at the right hand of the throne. The slot and the shape of the top of the pedestal looked like a perfect fit… for Adam’s sword.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Catra said. “Gwildor, how much longer?”

“I don’t know,” the locksmith said. “I’m working as fast as I can.”

Suddenly, the chamber filled with bright light. Everyone had to squint against the abrupt change. Catra could hear footsteps stomping rapidly up the stairs. Lots of them.

“We need to move,” she cried.

Within moments, scores of bots and armored soldiers swarmed into the chamber. They filed off in either direction, taking up position beside the statues while others made their way across to the front edge of the central platform. They were surrounded. The Key in Gwildor’s hands gave out a high-pitched ringing hum.

“Uh-oh…” he said.

“Is the door ready?” Adam said.

“No,” said Gwildor. “Another door is opening…”

As he spoke, a portal appeared at the entrance to the room. The purple robed figure of Skeletor stepped through, followed by his chief lieutenant, Evil-lyn. The portal snapped shut behind them. 

“Gwildor,” Catra said, “get down. Try to stay out of sight.”

Skeletor struck his staff imperiously on the crystalline floor.

“Everything comes to he who waits,” Skeletor rasped. “And I have waited a very,  _ very _ long time for this moment.”

"Let them go," Adam demanded.

"I don't think so," Skeletor chuckled in response. “No, they will watch as I take all the power of Grayskull, as I become supreme ruler of this and every other world. And then they will be destroyed.”

Adam’s hand clenched on the hilt of his sword.

“Keep working Gwildor,” Teela whispered.

“Throw down your weapons,” Skeletor continued. “Pledge yourselves to me, or you will join them.”

“It’s not them you want, it’s me,” Adam said. “This has always been between us.”

“Silence!” Skeletor bellowed. “You  _ will _ surrender to me, you will relinquish the Sword of Power, and you will bow before me.”

Evil-lyn thought she heard something as he spoke, a sound similar to that of her master’s Cosmic Key. She took a few steps to the side and spotted a tuft of orange hair sticking out from behind the legs of the prince and his friends. She saw…

“It’s the locksmith,” Evil-lyn said. “The little worm has another Key!”

“What?” Skeletor cried. He looked and saw him, the Thenorian crouched behind the others frantically pressing the buttons on a second Cosmic Key. Fury welled up within him, and he roared, “Kill him!”

Bots and soldiers opened fire from all directions. Adam and Adora transformed in a flash. Teela ducked for cover behind the force field. She-Ra changed her sword into a shield and crouched in front of Catra and Gwildor to protect them. He-Man deflected incoming blaster fire with his sword, but it was clear they weren’t aiming for him. Teela fired back with blasts of magic, but it was clear they were hopelessly outnumbered.

“Gwildor,” Catra shouted. “That Key can get us out of here, right?”

“Of course,” Gwildor replied.

“Then do it.”

“Where?”

“ _ Anywhere! _ ”

Gwildor pressed a bunch of buttons on the Key at random and pressed the red button, and the musical hum sprang to life once more. A swirling, flashing portal opened in the air beside them. 

The Key hanging from Skeletor’s belt began to emit a resonant whine. He grasped the device, realizing now what it had meant when the Key had done the same twice before that day.

“Stop them!” he bellowed. “Bring me that Key!”

“Catra…” Adora began.

“Adora,” Randor called from within the field. “Go. You’ll find a way to stop Skeletor. I know it.”

“We’ll come back and save them, Adora,” Catra said. “I promise.”

Adora blinked away the tears welling in her eyes. “Teela,” she called. “Through the portal, now!”

Teela nodded. She sprang out from cover and dove through the doorway. Catra went through next. Adora scooped Gwildor up in her free arm.

“Adam!” she cried. “Let’s go!”

“No!” he protested, still deflecting laser blasts with his sword. “I won’t leave them!”

“Adam,” Marleena pleaded. “You have to go. Eternia needs you. Eternia needs He-Man.”

“We’re so proud of you, son,” Randor added. “Escape now, and come back to stop Skeletor for good.”

Meanwhile, Evil-lyn had made her way around the edge of the room, looking for a clear angle to see Gwildor. She spotted the locksmith held in She-Ra’s arm, still clutching the active Key. She quickly cast a spell, conjuring a snaring tendril of dark magic, and launched it at the Key.

“We’ll be back, I promise,” Adora said to her parents. Then to Adam, “I’m sorry.”

Adora’s shield vanished, and she grabbed Adam around the waist, lifting him off his feet.

“No!” he cried. “Adora!”

Evil-lyn’s magical lash struch and wrapped around the Key just as She-Ra leaped for the portal. The sorceress pulled back to reel the tendril in. The portal thunderously slammed shut, and her spell was severed. 

Skeletor screamed in fury. Bolts of green lightning arced out from him, leaving several bots in a smoking heap.

“The Keys are connected,” he barked. “They’ll have to use it again, and when they do, we’ll trace them. Hunt them down and bring them to me.”

“It looked as if he was punching the keys at random,” Evil-lyn replied as she returned to his side. “They could be anywhere in the universe.”

“I don’t want excuses,” Skeletor fumed, shoving the Key into her hands. “I want them found. He-Man lives and possesses that Key. I must possess all, or I possess nothing.

Find. Them.”


	5. Chapter 5

When the locksmith had completed the device, he had pleaded to be set free. Skeletor took a great deal of delight in refusing him. Instead, he would keep the Thenorian under lock and key in the event that the device - the Cosmic Key - required repairs or modification. Then, once all was in motion, and Gwildor's talents were no longer required, Skeletor would again take great delight, disposing of him personally.

While the Key was under development, Skeletor had set about drawing up his plan. The data he'd copied from the ancient vessel that had borne He-Man's new friends to Eternia was of tremendous help. Updated star charts, details on Horde Prime's resources and facilities, locations of other critical First Ones colonies, all were essential to Skeletor's ultimate design. This would be the last campaign, the final stroke in his long battle with He-Man. And Skeletor would relish in taking everything that the young prince held dear away from him before finally ending his life.

Once the Cosmic Key was complete, the first step was to take Tri-Klops and a force of soldiers to a Horde manufacturing planet. The clones living in the vicinity, having abandoned the factory after Prime's hive mind collapsed, were driven away easily enough. It was a similarly simple matter to get the plant up and running again as it was mostly automated. A few modifications to designs to fit Skeletor's tastes, and the facility was soon churning out battle-ready bots by the thousands. 

Similar steps were taken at old Horde shipyards, producing enough starships to provide air and space superiority over Eternia, Etheria, and any other worlds that would require subjugation as the plan moved forward.

Lastly, Skeletor travelled alone to several worlds once controlled by his people. The Eye of the Galaxy had never been completed, but the First Ones had installed magic siphons on several worlds before Horde Prime had wiped them out. A number of them were still intact, collecting magic for the last thousand years. Skeletor made sure that those which were still functional could establish contact with Castle Grayskull. 

The preparations were nearly complete. He sent spies to Etheria to locate the planet's political and population centers. He mapped out his plans of attack and had the locksmith program the coordinates. In time, everything was in order, everything was prepared. 

It was time.

Taking a portal from Snake Mountain to his manufacturing world, Skeletor sent thousands of bots to attack the capitol city and castle on Eternia. He sent thousands more to Etheria to keep She-Ra and her people occupied. (It was during this phase that Skeletor’s Key made a strange chirping sound, but it did not seem to affect its functionality, so he ignored it.)

With the attacks underway, he opened a portal into the first place he’d made Gwildor program the Key for: Castle Grayskull.

“Unauthorized presence detected,” an artificial voice echoed through the darkened crystalline chamber. Red light began to emanate from the walls. “Security protocols now engaged.”

“Administrative override,” Skeletor said calmly. “Authorization: Keldor two-eight-six-two-seven.”

A pause.

“Acknowledged,” the voice replied. The holographic image of the Sorceress appeared. “Welcome councilman. How may I assist you?”

“First,” Skeletor began, “revoke all administrative privileges from all other users.”

“Confirmed.”

“Now, open the Eye control center.”

“Confirmed.”

With a grinding of stone that had sat unmoved in centuries, the far wall depicting a mural of He-Man began slowly sinking into the floor, revealing a set of ascending stairs. Another use of the Cosmic Key, and Evil-Lyn arrived, accompanied by a platoon of soldiers and bots. They stormed into the chamber above. Skeletor conferred with Evil-lyn on the progress of the battle and took a seat on the crystal throne.

“After all this time,” she’d said, “Grayskull is ours.”

“No!” Skeletor barked. “Mine.”

He regarded the pedestal beside the throne. The slot in the top sat ready to hold the final piece in Skeletor’s endgame: the Sword of Power. And steps were already underway to ensure that He-Man would bring it to him. The press of a few buttons and activation of his Cosmic Key, and, right on schedule, a squad of bots ushered King Randor and Queen Marleena into the Castle. 

Skeletor engaged a force field to trap and hold them, and conjured his illusory visage in the sky to inform the world, but especially He-Man, of the King and Queen’s capture. 

He stationed his battalion outside the Castle to intercept and capture Prince Adam when he came to save his parents. What was unexpected, was the prince and his friends somehow entering the Castle without his detection, including his sister, She-Ra. (Again, his Key had made the strange chirping sound) No matter. They would be captured or killed, and ultimate power would be his. 

Then came the revelation of Gwildor’s escape and his second Key. 

“I don’t want excuses,” he’d said. “I want them found. He-Man lives and possesses that Key. I must possess all, or I possess nothing. Find. Them.”

They must be found. They must be brought back. Skeletor would not be denied. He would take He-Man’s power. Then he would take his world. Then, he would take his life. 

He was Skeletor,  _ and he would not be denied. _

=======

Adora fell into cold, muddy water. She’d dropped out her She-Ra form as she’d emerged from the portal. She stood, coughing and sputtering, and looked around for the others. They were in a grimy pond somewhere in a forest She spotted Teela leaning against a tree catching her breath and Catra angrily wringing dirty water out of her hair. She felt something bumping against her leg under the water’s murky surface. She reached down into the water and felt a tiny hand. Adora hauled Gwildor up out of the water, gasping and spitting. 

"Is everyone alright?" Adora asked and she sloshed through the hip-deep water to set Gwildor on the shore. Catra and Teela nodded.

"You left them," said Adam's voice from behind Adora.

“Adam…” Adora began, turning to face him.

“You  _ left them! _ ” Adam shouted, shoving her back a pace.

“Adam!” Teela scolded.

“Hey, back off,” Catra warned, slipping back into the water to put a hand on Adora’s shoulder. “There wasn’t a way to win back there.”

Adam huffed and turned away. “We could have tried,” he said.

“We were surrounded and outnumbered,” Adora said indignantly. “You think I  _ wanted _ to leave them behind?”

“You’ve only even known them for like a year!” Adam shouted. “ _ I _ grew up with them.”

“Yeah,” Adora said cooly. “I know.”

“So  _ you _ may be ok with leaving them behind for Skeletor to do who-knows-what to them,” he accused. “But I’m not.”

“I am  _ not _ ok with it,” Adora replied, her voice rising now too. “There’s nothing I want more than to save them. I love them too, y’know!”

“ _ Well obviously not as much as I do, _ ” Adam roared.

The instant he said it, he wanted to take it back. The tears and look of hurt welling up in his sister’s eyes made his heart drop into his stomach.

Adora turned and splashed out of the muck and away into the trees.

“Adora, I…” Adam started.

“Don’t,” Catra said with a furious glare. She followed Adora into the woods.

Adam walked over to the muddy bank and sat down, his head in his hands.

Catra found Adora sitting on a fallen log with her face in her hands. She hadn't gone more than a few dozen paces from the pond. Catra sat down on the log next to her and put a hand on her knee. Without a word, Adora leaned against Catra, but still kept her face hidden, her shoulders shaking with sobs she tried to keep silent. 

"Y'know, speaking as someone with  _ a lot _ of experience lashing out when they're upset, he didn't mean any of that," Catra said. "Not that that excuses it," she added quickly. "He definitely crossed the line.” She put an arm around Adora’s shoulders.

“I can’t believe he would really just throw that in my face,” Adora said, putting her hands down in her lap. “As if I  _ decided _ not to grow up with them…”

“So be mad,” Catra replied. “As mad as you need for as long as you need. He was a jerk, and his being upset doesn’t excuse that.” She lifted Adora’s chin to look at her. “But right now, we have a job to do. I promised you we’d save your parents, so that’s what we’re going to do. We go back to Etheria to get some backup, then it’s back to Grayskull to rescue them and stop Skeletor.”

Adora wrapped her arms around Catra in a tight hug.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you too,” Catra replied. “And you better be grateful, because I am  _ soaked _ and I hate it.”

Adora laughed at that. Catra kissed her on the forehead.

A few minutes later, Catra and Adora had returned to the others beside the pond. Adam didn’t look up. 

“So what’s the plan?” Teela said.

“We need to go back to Etheria and get reinforcements,” Adora said. “We need to get mom and dad out of that force field, so we’ll need Bow, Entrapta, or Hordak for the tech.”

“With Skeletor  _ and _ Evil-lyn there waiting for us, we’ll need some more magical firepower, too,” Teela said.

“So then we need Glimmer or Micah,” Catra said. “Ideally, both. Then I say we bring along at least one other all around heavy hitter. Maybe Frosta or Scorpia.”

“Then that’s the plan,” Adora said.

“Whatever you need,” Adam chimed in, still not looking his sister in the eye. “I’ve got your back.”

“Gwildor,” Adora said, “the Key can get us back to Etheria and then right back into that room we left in Grayskull, right?”

“Of course,” Gwildor replied. “The Key stores all its previous departure and arrival points in its memory. I just have to press the energize key…” he reached for the Key strapped to his back… then his eyes went wide. He slid the strap around his chest, revealing the clasps that once held the device to be broken. “Where  _ is _ the Key...?”

"Oh you've _ got _ to be kidding," Catra snarled.

"Gwildor," Adora said, her voice cracking, "where's the Key!?"

"Don't panic, don't panic," Gwildor said. "Portals are set to close when the Key comes through. The portal we came through closed, so the Key is definitely on this planet. Probably not too far away."

"How far is 'not too far,' Gwildor?" Adam said.

"Well," he began sheepishly, "not too far in a planetary sense. So probably not more than somewhere within a hundred miles of here? ...probably…"

Catra's ear and Adora's eye twitched in frustration.

"There's nothing for it, then," Teela said. "We'll just have to fan out and look for it." 

"We're on a completely alien planet," Catra said. "We have no idea what could be out there, so nobody goes anywhere alone."

"Right," Adora added. "Catra and I will search this way, you, Adam, and Gwildor search that way. Try to cover as much ground as you can. We'll meet back here in two hours."

Everyone nodded, and the groups split off to begin their search.

=======

About half an hour later, Adora and Catra came upon a strange sight at the top of a steep slope. There was some kind of metal fence or barricade stretching off in either direction just beyond the treeline. Beyond the barricade lay what was very clearly a road of some kind. It looked similar to some of the paving in the Fright Zone which had been done with a mixture of tar and fine gravel. This road was marked with faded paint lines - white on either side with a double band of yellow down the center. The road stretched off in either direction, disappearing around a bend among the trees.

“Well, at least we know the planet is inhabited,” Adora said.

“Something’s coming,” Catra said, her ears perking. “I hear some kind of engine. Approaching fast.”

They ducked down behind the metal barrier as a few moments later, a vehicle cruised by on the far side of the road. It rode on four wheels and didn’t appear to be armed or armored in any way. The blue paint was chipped and rusted in places, and the boxy cockpit near the front had large glass windows on all sides. Behind the cockpit was what appeared to be an open-topped cargo section of some kind? They didn’t get a very good look at the pilot, but with the glimpse they got, it did seem to look more or less like plenty of Etherians or Eternians. Within moments, the pilot and it vehicled had passed and disappeared beyond the curve in the road.

“Come on,” Catra said, hopping over the barrier and starting along the road after the vehicle.

“We’re following them?” Adora asked.

“Well, if there’s vehicles driving around maintained roads, there’s bound to be a town or village nearby,” Catra said.

“And if there’s people,” Adora realized, “then maybe someone’s already seen or found the Key!”

“Exactly. Let’s go.”

=======

Adam, Teela, and Gwildor had also found signs of civilization. They’d come across an area where the trees thinned out and the grass was cut short. There were several wooden tables and roofed pavilions scattered about, as well as a cluster of brightly colored metal and plastic tubes that somewhat resembled children’s playgrounds on Eternia. 

It was under one of these wooden tables that Gwildor made an unsettling discovery, crying out in shock after pulling something out from under a table.

“What is it, Gwildor?” Adam said.

“Oh, it’s awful!” the locksmith said, shaking his head.

The object in question was some kind of bucket, but it was flimsy. It appeared to be made of wax-coated white paper, adorned with red stripes and some markings or glyphs. Adam looked inside and his eyes went wide. It was half full of bones. Tiny bones, stripped of any flesh. 

“Oh, that’s super messed up,” Adam said, turning away in disgust.

“Let’s keep on guard and make sure we stay out of sight,” Teela said. “I’m not sure I want to meet the locals if they’re leaving buckets of bones laying around.”

=======

Kevin woke suddenly to a loud thud and what sounded like gravel spraying his bedroom window. He scrambled out of bed, his heart pounding. He glanced at his alarm clock. The red numbers gleamed in the dark - 3:19pm. Almost two hours early. Ugh. He pondered if it was even worth trying to go back to sleep before the gig tonight as he made his way to the window to look for the source of the sound that woke him up. Squinting into the afternoon sunlight over the small yard outside his apartment, he couldn’t help his eyes going wide in spite of the glare. There was now a crater some ten feet wide in the middle of the yard.

He pulled on a shirt and stepped outside for a closer look. In the bottom of the crater sat a cylindrical object about eighteen inches long and six wide. It was mostly black and covered in brass buttons. The top tapered in and was crowned with weird little spiky silver forks. Lights on the thing were blinking and it emitted a soft hum. He looked up and around into the clear afternoon sky. No sign of a plane or helicopter or anything. Where in the world had this thing come from?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points if you can call out what I'm basing this fic on. ;-)


End file.
